Braiding attachment for sewing machines



Patented July 20, 19.26.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM C. CARI), JR., OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BRAIDING- ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed. March 9, 1926..

This invention pertains to sewing machine attachments and more particularly to that class of attachments used in stitching flat braids or tapes to the edge of a base material.

For example, in the manufacture of footwear it is quite common to apply a. flat trimming braid to the edges of certain parts of the upper to impart a finished or ornamental appearance thereto, one edge of the braid usually being attached to the edge of the upper by a sewed seam which extends parallel to and closely adjacent the said edge of the braid. Since the edges of the f parts to which the braid is stitched often have sha-rp bends or angles, and since as above stated the seam is very close to the edge of the braid, great difficulty has been experienced in laying the braid smoothly and stitching it securely where it follows such bends or angles of the base fabric.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an attachment of simple construction adapted to position the braid y with certainty as it approaches the stitching point and which is effective for the desired purpose whether the seam be straight o-r involve sharp bends, angles or curves. A further object is to provide a braid guiding attachment capable of handling braids of various widths and which may be adjusted to determine the distance of theseam from the edge of the braid.

In the accompanying drawings a prefcrred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example, and in these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a 'fragmentary side elevation showing the right hand side of the attachment and including the lower parts of the needle bar and the presser foot bar of a sewing machine;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the left hand side of the attachr ment;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the front of the attachment;

Fig. 4- is a similar view partly in section illustrating the rear side of the attachment;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the attachment-to somewhat larger scale; and

Fig. 6 is a section substantially on the line 6--6 of Fig. 2 but to larger scale.

Referring to the dra-wings for a more detailed. description ci? the device, the auf. merel il, the leiter Serial No. 93,421.

presser foot bar of a sewing machine of any usual type, and 2 the lower part of the needle bar. The needle is indicated at 3, being attached to the needle bar in any usual manner, while the numeral 4 designates a block attached in any suitable manner to the lower end of the presser foot bar and which is adapted to support the presser foot bracket.

The presserV foot bracket comprises a forked upper part 5 which is detachably secured to the block 4 by means of a screw 6. This bracket is provided with a depending arm 7 which supports the presser foot. The presser foot here illustrated consists of a knurled wheel 9 supported to turn freely upon a pivot` pin 8 carried by the bracket arm 7. While it is preferred to employ a rotary presser foot since such a presser foot has substantially a line Contact with the work, thus permitting the latter to swing very freely, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the employment of this form of presser foot. Y

A supporting member 10 is adjustably attached to the arm 7 of the presser foot bracket by means of a screw 11, such screw passing freely through an opening in the part 10 and having threaded engagement with the arm 7. Two screws 12 and 13 have threaded engagement with openings in the arm 7 and are adapted to engage the part- 10 at opposite sides of the attaching screw 11. These screws 12 and 13 thus form stops to determine the spacing of the part 11 from the arm 7. Y

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 6 the lower portion of the support 10 is laterally flared to provide a broad foot portion 15 which inclines rearwardly and downwardly to- Ward the stitch point, that is to say, the point at which the needle penetrates the work. To this downwardly inclined surface 16 is attached a guide member 17 which may be secured in position by the useof solder, brazing or the like. While as here shown this guide member 17 is an independent part secured to the support 10 as described, it is Within the scope of the invention to make this guide member integral with the part 10.

The guide member 17 is provided with a guide channel or guideway 19 preferably of a vertical height substantially equal to the thickness of the braid and having its right hand wall 1.5 fired relatively te the part l0. channel is preferably disposed closely adjacent to the bite of the presser foot. The opposite wall 19 (Fig. 2) of the guide channel is out away intermediate its length to provide a recess 24 opening into the channel and adapted to receive the downwardly projecting toe portion 23 of a leaf spring 20. This spring is secured at its upper end to the s upport 10 by means of a screw or rivet 2l and is provided with an opening 201 intermediate its length for the reception of an adjusting screw 22 having threaded engagement with the part l0. By adjusting the screw 22 the lower end of the spring 2O may be moved laterally so that the toe portion 23 moving in the recess 24 varies the effective width of the guide channel 19.

The guide channel terminates short of the vertical plane defined by the needle path and the point of contact of the presser foot with the work, but the spring 2O is furnished with a rearwardly projecting finger 25 (Fig. 2) extending beyond the delivery end of the guideway to a point substantially opposite to the stitch point. This finger 25 lies substantially in the plane of the toe 23V so that it always engages the left hand edge of the braid and thus prevents the braid from moving laterally to the left out of the path of the needle. In Fig. 1 the braid is indicated by the numeral 26 and the base fabric by the numeral 2 7.

In the operation of the device the presser foot is caused,v to rest upon the work and ythe braid is fed down through the guide channel 19. `The support l0 is adjusted with, respect to the presser foot bracket to such a position as. to guide the right hand edge of the braid so as to form the seam at the desired distance inward from the right hand edge of the. braid. Likewise the screw 22 is so adjusted that the parts 23 and 25 of the spring 2O bear against the left hand edge of the braid. The braid is thus confined as it approaches, the stitch peint fSe that the Seam is formed at the desired, distance fromthe edge of the braid and'in turning angles or bends the linger 25 holds the braid up to the needle so that there isno chance for the stitches to run off` the edge of the braid. The device thus providedV permits forming the seam with certainty at a distaneewhich if desired. need notr besubstantially greater than the diameter of the needle fromtheedge of the work even though the seam must follow sharp bendsor turnsvand even though the operation be performed at high` speed,

While aA pleferred embodiment of the invention has herein been illustrated by way of example, it is contemplated that modifications in the shape and arrangement of Y parts maybe made without' departing from` the spirit ofthe invention.

The delivery end of the guide` I claim:

l. A'device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a sewed seam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a snpport provided with a guidcway inclimng downwardly and rearwardly toward the stitch point, means for adjusting the width of the guideway, and a spring finger extending beyond the delivery end of the guideway for laterally positioning thc braid at the stitch point.

2. A device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a sewed seam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a support provided with a downwardly and rearvardly extending guide channel of a height substantially equal to the thickness of the braid, said channel having an adjustable member at one side for varying its efl'ectivc width, and a resilient linger movable with said adjustable member -for laterally positioning thc braid at a point beyond the delivery end of the guide channel.

E3. A device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric hy means of a sewed scam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a support provided with a guide channel terminating adjacent to the stitch point, a resilient member constituting an element of one side wall of said channel, and means for adjusting the position of said element to vary the width of the channel.

4L. A device for use in attaching Hat braid to a base fabric by means of a sewed seam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a support provided with a broad foot portion having therein a channel for the passage of the braid, said foot portiony having a recess in one edge opening into the channel, a spring disposed in` said recess, and means for adjusting said spring to vary the effective width of the channel.

5. A device foiI use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a sewed seam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a support having a foot portion provided with a channel for guiding the braid on its way to the stitch point, said foot portion having a lateral recess opening into the channel at one side of the latter, a spring secured to the support, an element supported by the spring and havingatoe portion disposed in said recess, and means for adjusting said toe portion to vary the effective width of the channel.

6. A device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a sewed seam extending. closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a support having a foot portion provided with a lUO llO

channel for `guidingthe braid on its Way to the stitch point, said foot portion having a lateral recess opening into the channel at one side of the latter, a leaf spring attached at one end to the support, said spring having a projection at its free end disposed Within said recess, and an adjusting screv7 engaging the spring at an intermediate point for varying the position of said p'rojection .laterally of the channel.

7. A device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a seived seam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a support having a foot portion provided with Aa channel for guiding the braid on its ivay to the stitch point, said foot portion having a lateral recess opening into the channel at one side of the latter, and a leaf spring at tached at one end to the support, said spring having a toe projecting into said recess and a finger substantially in the plane of the toe but disposed beyond the delivery end of the guide channel.

8. A device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a sevved seam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising means providing a channel for guiding the braid on its Way to the stitch point, and a resilient member engaging the other edge of the braid at a point substantially opposite to the stitch point and beyond the delivery end of the channel.

9. .A device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a sewed seam extending closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising means providing a channel for guiding the braid on its Way to the stitch point, the channel stopping short of the stitch point7 a spring linger adapted to engage the other edge of the braid at a point beyond the delivery end of the channel, and means for adjusting said .finger laterally.

10. A device for use in attaching flat braid to a base fabric by means of a sewed seam extending` closely adjacent to and parallel to one edge of the braid comprising a presser foot bracket, a rotary presser foot carried thereby, a support having a recess partially housing the presser foot and provided With a channel for guiding the braid toward the stitch point, and means adjustably connecting the support to the presser foot bracket comprising an attaching screw and an adjustable stop at either side of the attaching screw. i

Signed by me at Boston, Masachusetts. this 8th day of March 1926.

WILLIAM G. CARD, Jn. 

